« Women’s Basketball 2018-19

Teaira McCowan

School
Mississippi State University
Position
Center
Major
Human Development & Family Studies

Classroom

Teaira McCowan is on track to graduate in May, majoring in human development and family studies with a concentration in youth development. She has been an SEC Academic Honor Roll selection.

Character

McCowan is an outstanding leader in the program who has been a tremendous representative of the program on the court and in the community. She always takes time to sign autographs and take pictures, and she is especially great at taking time to interact with the children. McCowan has taken time to speak with other tall young ladies about embracing their height.

Community

McCowan participated in the TK Martin Circus Fun Run, which benefits the MSU T.K. Martin Center for children with special needs. She served at Starkville’s Travis Outlaw Day each year and has visited Batson Children’s Hospital. McCowan volunteered with her teammates as judges for the talent show at Camp Jigsaw, an MSU camp for youth with autism.

Competition

McCowan was named preseason SEC Player of the Year and was tabbed to the Lisa Leslie Watch List for the nation’s top center. In 2018, she received Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year honors and was named an All-American by the WBCA, Associated Press (third team) and ESPNW (first team), after averaging 18.2 ppg and 13.9 rpg last season. McCowan set an SEC record and posted the second-most rebounds in NCAA DI history with 544 last season. She claimed an SEC record with 29 double-doubles a year ago and averaged 16.2 ppg and 16.1 rpg against ranked opponents in 2017-18. McCowan tallied 17.7 ppg and 14.4 rpg in SEC play and has been the nation’s top returning rebounder from last season and the country’s most active career rebound leader with 1,015. Also earning conference honors, she was named the 2017-18 SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team and All-SEC First Team (AP and Coaches).